You Can't Hide From The Past
by katebug232
Summary: Casey and her friends witnessed a murder when she was a teenager. Now due to one of her friends coming forward, they are being murdered.
1. Chapter 1

disclaimer: we do not own any of the svu or law and order characters or the show only the ones we made up.

**Events in the Past**

Summer 1994

"Come on Riley, hurry up, don't keep us waiting." A 17 year old Casey Novak screamed this while waiting for her 9 ear old cousin to finish.They were going on a camping trip with some of Casey's friends.

"I'm Coming, I'm coming."Riley exclaimed, hopping down the stairs with a bag in her hand, blonde pigtail buns on her head.

"Come on, we're meeting them at sterling park."

Casey's mother started driving them to the park 10 minutes later at seven o'clock.

As they got out of casey's mothers car she drove off.

"Finally, I thought you two would never show up." said an 18 year old Serena Southerlyn while hugging one of her best friends, Casey. "Danielle, Anna, and I hae been here for a half hour already. Did Jason tell you when he and Hayden are going to show up?"

As Serena said this a carpulled up with two guys inside. On the top of the car were 7 sleeping bags along with boxes of food.

Jayson got out of the car, hugged his sister Casey, and started talking to Serena. While jayson was talking with Serena, Hayden went up to Casey and gave her a kiss hello.

"EWW!"

"Oh shut up Riley, nothing you haven't seen before." Casey said after the kiss.

The 7 of them started walking to their campsite. Anna was doing impression of everybody in their group

" I DO NOT WALK LIKE THAT!"

"All right people time to set up camp. Casey, you and the girls throw the food ove a high tree branch so the bears don't get it" Jayson said while setting up the tents with Hayden.

At 11:00 after the camp site was set up and after they ate dinner, Riley kept bugging Casey.

"Casey, please i wanna go see the lake before i go to bed."

"But you'll see it tomorrow."

"I want see it at night."

"Come on Casey. Have some fun. We'll go swimming"

" please Casey, please, please, please." said Anna, who was on her knees with Riley begging.

"Fine," Casey said to the begging girls, then to the others Casey said, "You guys wanna go down to the lake?"

"Sure" They all replied.

While walking to the lake Hayden dropped back a little.

"Casey, Can i talk to you in private when we get there?"

"Yeah, Sure." Casey said reluctantly, not knowing what he could possibly want to say to her.

When they got to the lake Casey and serena noticed that all the lights were on and that there was a volleyball net and a ball. While everyone else was in the lake Casey and Serena had a one on one game of volleyball.

"Hayden wants to talk to me," Casey said while serving the ball," What do you think he would talk to me about? Do you think he wants to break up?"

" He'd be a fool to do it here."

While they were talking and playing everyone else was swimming. After around a half hour, Hayden got out of the lake.

"Case, can i talk to you now?"

Casey gave a look to Serena, "Sure"

When Casey Passed Serena she heard Serena say, "Good Luck"

As they walked toward the forest, the others were laying down in their clothes, watching the stars. When Casey and Hayden walked into the forest, Hayden told Casey sit down, "Casey, how long have we been dating?"

"3 years. Why?"

"Casey, I don't know if you feel the same way, but I love you Casey." Casey looded up into Hayden with tears in her eyes. " I Love you too"

They met in a passionate kiss. Hayden started moving down kissing her neck. As he moved his mouth back to her lips for anotherkiss they heard a scream.

"AHHHHHHHHHH"

"That's Serena!"exclaimed Hayden. As he and Casey went to look they saw a man with a handgun.

"Riley!"

"Casey, don't!" Hayden threw his arms around her and her front while Casey struggled to get free

"No Casey, stay still, he won't see us."

BANG

"Jayson"

" Oh God NO" Casey Screamed

"Shh" Hayden said, "don't draw attention."

As he said this and Casey screamed, the gunman turned towards them and raised his gun.

CLICK

The gunman looked shocked for a moment, then ran the other way.

"Oh God"

"Casy, come on, we gotta see the others, make sure they are okay."

Casey shakkily replied, "Okay"

When they reached camp they saw Anna nd Danielle clingling to each other, Serena hugging herself and Riley holding on to Jayson.

"Jayson...are you okay?"

"yeah," said Jayson, " we heard screaming and saw the man shot her. we screamed, he saw us and tried to shoot us. He tried to stop Riley, i jumped over Riley, just got grazed."

"Jayson,we need to get that looked at, it could get infected." Serena said

"I WANNA GO HOME!" Riley exclaimed hysterically.

"ME too," said Danielle, who had untangelled herself form Anna, We also need to get to the hospital."

They didn't even bother to pack up when they left. they reached the hospital in 15 minutes.

"Can i help You?" said the nurse, whose name onthe name tag said Lenna.

"Yeah, my friend go slammed into the rocka t a lake we were at."

"Come with me, son." Lenna said while pulling Jayson by the uninjured arm.

"Why did you lie, Hayden."

" because... do you really want to get mixed up with this?"

"No, i don't but.."

"But, But nothing." He said, Listen i'm not going to say one thing, if you want to, go ahead, don't expect any support from me."

"Fine...I won't tell. Daniell said.

As they were sitting down, the news came on,

_**" Breaking news, just came in, A young Women named Susanna Smith was brutally abeaten and shot in Sterling State Park. Her body was found by 2 campers who were on a midnight walk. They found her on the shore. If anyone has any information please call the Sterling P.D. at 1-555-555-8352." **_

As Jayson came back all stitched up he commanded, "We NEVER speak of this again. Do you understand?"

"Yeah." replied Serena, who was quiet all night, Anna, and Danielle.

" You know I won't." said Hayden.

" Casey? Riley?"

"Never again." said Casey, her voice so low you had to struggle to hear it.

Riley nodded.

"Good, Lets go home"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Not Mine... This is all Dick Wolf's... Hayden, Jayson, Anna, Danielle, and Riley is mine.**_

_**Abbie Carmichael: Thanks for the Review. You are our first reviewer. So Cool. I hope you like these next 2 charpters.**_

_**Catwoman92: This is going somewhere. Thanks for reviewing.**_

_**12 Years Later:**_

"Casey, Come on hurry up! You wanted to do this, Now Let's GO!" Serena screamed, stomping her feet for exphasis (sp?)

" Ok, I'm Ready." Casey walked out of her room in a track suit.

"Can you tell me why I'm getting up at 5:30 in the morning just to go jogging with you?" Serena asked..." just tell me why."

"Because its fun, besides we need to excersise and this is a great way without going to the gym."

They walked out of Casey's apartment and went to the elevator.

As they walked into the elevator Serena told Casey, "Did you know Hayden quit his job?"

"No, i didn't"

" He moving here to New York."

" Why"

"Big city. Wants to see friends. He's going to be staying in the spare room in my apartment till he can find his own place."

"Oh," Casey was silent for a moment, "When's he gonna be here?"

" His plane lands at 8:45 tonight. Casey, Im sorry i didn't tell you sooner."

"It's okay. i suppose i'll have to see him then, Right?"

"Yeah. HE's also opening a music shop. He want us to be there at the opening party."

" Maybe"

" Please go"

" I'll think about it."

**Hayden Ridley owned a mucis shop called Ridley's Music. He owned this shop while working as a lawyer in Seattle. He called Serena 3 weeks ago Thursday and told her that he quit his job. He told her that he wanted to open another shop and thought that New York was the place to do it. **

As Serena was trying to convince Casey to go to the opening party, a 33 year old woman was getting ready to go to work in Midtown.

Anna Southerlyn, Serena's older sister, was talking to her coworker.

"Yes, Morrow, I will be there." She said on her cell phone to the coworker on the other side of the reciever.

" Well I,m not there now because I am getting ready."

" Yes I do know how important it is to make a good impression. And I will."

" Yes, yes. I'll be there in a half hour." After she said this she closed her phone.

She went to get her car keys and got to the door to her apartment. When she opened it someone put a gun to her head.

" Don't move. Don't scream. Don't fight. Do you understand." For emphasis the man cocked the gun.

" Yes."

He walked her back into the living room in her apartment. He then turned her around to face him. When she looked him in the face she gasped.

" So you do reconize me." It wasn't a question.

" Yes."

" Where have you seen me before?"

" You were at the lake 12 years ago. It's still a cold case. You MURDERED A GIRL. I saw the whole thing. After you saw us YOU SHOT AT ONE OF MY FRIENDS. Of course i remember you."

" Take a good look at this face, because this is the last face you will ever see."

Her eyes widened as she realized what this meant.

" No, No"

As she tried to fight the man overpowered her and twisted her hand sbehind her back and tied them up with a rope.

" Now, Time to have some fun."

He started to stradle her.

" No. No. Get off."

He smacked her across the face.

" Shut up."

45 minutes later 2 shots rang out.

" Elliot, Olivia. We got one." Cragen said with a somber face, after he got off the phone.

He shouted this when they were walking in.

Olivia sighed, " Don't these guys have anything bettter to do?"

" No"

While putting back on her coat she asked, " Who's the victim?"

" Anna Southerlyn."

" Is she related to Serena?"

" Yeah," Cragen said with a sigh, " She's her sister."

When the two detectivees pulle dup to the apaartment building, there were 3 partol cars and an ambulance. Olivia walked up to one of the officers, " What happened here?"

" Anna Southerlyn, 33. She was late for a business meeting, when she didn't show up, a friend came to her apartment to check on her. She saw the door wide open and walked in. Saw her friend in the living room lying on the floor with her skirt up around her waist." The officer explained. " Oh also, her friend is here. Melanie Adams, 34." He left after he said this.

Olivia went over to the ambulance, " Melanie? I'm Dectective Olivia Benson. Can you tell me what happened?"

"We had a big meeting today," she said while sniffling, "It would have put us on the the map. Andrew Morrow talked to her when she was getting ready. He said she couldn't wait for the meeting and wouldn't miss it. After 45 minutes she never showed up." She sighed, "So, I came to her apartment. Her door was wide ipen. I went inside and saw her, Then i called 9-1-1.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Not mine Dick Wolf's. Only Hayden, Jayson, Anna, Danielle, and Riley are mine**_

_**Tony's is mine**_

_**Kudosvu: Thank you for reviewing and i hope you like this chapter**_

****Knock Knock Knock

"Come in"

" Hey Jayson." Riley said sweetly to her cousin.

" Hey, glad to see you. what are you doing here?" Jayson asked suspiciously.

" What, a girl can't come to her favorite cousin's office to say hello and go out to eat with him?" Riley questioned as she took a seat in a chair in front of his desk.

" You want something, don't you?"

" A small favor." She said slyly.

" Okay let me get packed up."

After 5 minutes they were out the door to the building. They walked down the street to a little bar/resteraunt named Tony's, named for it's owner Tony. Tony happened to be working today and was a good friend of Jayson's and Riley's.

" Jayson, Riley, here for lunch or drinks?" Tony asked with a knowing smile

" Drinks. the usual."

When Tony left they took their seats. They sat in a little booth next to the bar.

" So, last year of college. Finally got an idea what you want to do with your life?"

" yeah," Riley said, " I want to go into law, like Casey and Serena."

" You apply for law school?"

" Yeah, no answer yet."

Aftr their little conversation they turned their heads towards the t.v. One of the news women was starting on another story...

**" Earlier this morning a 33 year old woman named Anna Southerlyn was brutally beaten, raped, and murdered. Southerlyn worked for a advertising company and today was going to make a big deal people have said that would _put them on the map_. Manhattan's Special Victims unit is investigating this heinus crime. If anyone has any information on the crime please give detectives a call."**

" Oh My God. Anna. She...She." Riley couldn't speak anymore, she started crying.

" Oh... Oh No." Jayson choked, but then pulled himself together, " We have to get out of here."

After he said this he and Riley ran out of the bar, nodded to each other.

They knew where they were going.

At 1:30 As Jayson and Riley caught a cab to midtown to see Danielle, Serena was just coming back home to her apartment after a morning of shopping. When Serena walked into her apartment she thought she heard sniffling. She threw her keys onto an endtable and went into her living room.

The sight of a distraught Casey greeted her.

" Casey, Oh my god Casey, Are you okay?" When she asked Casey let out a strangled sound.

" Am i okay," Casey looked confused for a moment.

" You mean you don't know?" Casey asked Serena wiping tears from her eyes.

" Know what?" Serena was confused now.

" Sit down, Sweetie." Casey voice was soft.

Serena sat down next to Casey on her couch.

" Serena. . . . I'm so sorry to say this, Anna was murdered this morning." Casey said as softly as she could.

" No! No! She can't be. I just talked to her last night."

" I'm so sorry. I know. I wish this weren't ture. I wish it were a dream. But it's not. I'm so sorry."

At this point both Casey and Serena started crying and hugged each other. 15 minutes of crying later, both were asleep. 3 hours later Casey woke up to a ringing phone.

" mm. . . Hello?"

" Hi. . . Casey? What are you doing on Serena's phone?"

" Umm. there's something you need to know, Why are you calling?"

" I caught an earlier flight. My plane landed about 10 minutes ago. sorry I didn't call earlier."

" It's okay. What airport? Terminal?"

When Casey was getting all the information Cragen was grilling Elliot and Olivia about any information that had to do with Anna Southerlyn.

"Elliot, Olivia what have you found out about Southerlyn?"

" Not much, she owned her own business, um. . . she fired a guy last week but he has been out of town in Miami for the past week. We're checking all the phone calls, any people she's close to."

" That's it?" Cragen needed/wanted more information.

" I'm going to speak to Seena tomorrow. Casey told her about her sister. Apparently Casey and Serena are very close friends. Casey going to be with Serena tonight."

" Okay Olivia, Elliot go home and get some sleep, you're going to need to be fresh and awake tomorrow."

Olivia and Elliot shut down their computers and said goodbye to Cragen. Elliot said goodbye to Olivia and left. Olivia turned and looked back at the board with Anna's picture and all the information they had, She closed her eyes and wondered why these people do what they do. When she didn't get an answer she left.

Casey arrived at the airport and saw Hayden standing outside talking on his cell phone. When he didin't notice her she honked the horn.

" Sorry mom, I got to go."

"Casey. . . . It's been a long time. I wish it could have been longer." Hayden said with a slight playfull edge to his voice. Casey just shrugged.

Hayden got worried, usually Casey would have said something slightly along those lines back to him, but she didn't say anything.

" Casey are you okay?" Hayden asked his voice now somber and full of concern.

" No, Something bad happened this morning." Casey was now crying and her voice was swaying

" What happened? Is everyone okay?"

" No. . . Anna was murdered this morning." Casey said, then walked to the car.

When Hayden was in the car Casey wasn't crying anymore. She looked towards him and gave him a brief hug over the shift.

" We're going to go to my apartment, I think Serena might want to be alone when she wakes up. I left her a note saying that i'm going to get you and take you to my apartment."  
" yours?"

" yeah, it's not as big as Serena's but it's still pretty big. We live in the same apartment building."

After she said this she started the car and didn't talk again till they reached her apartment.

" This is a nice place." Hayden said after he walked into the apartment.

" Yeah," Casey said, but it was obvious that she didn't feel like talking. She led Hayden down a hallway out of the foyer.

" This ais the guest room, you'll stay in here. Bathroom is the door on the right." Casey said this then left the room, Hayden assumed to call Serena, then go to sleep.

Hayden put his clothes away, then took out a picture and put it near the lamp on the endtable. He looded at it for a moment, then turned off the light, went under the covers and fell aseleep. On the endtable the picture had Anna, Serena, Danielle, Hayden, Jayson, Casey and Riley all trying to fit on a couch, but not exactly fitting, with half of them off the side, laughing. This was probably the last time they were all together like this after what happened the next week.

I hope everyone liked this chapter, Please Review, Flames welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

Dear Readers:

We are very sorry about the wait. Unfourtunatley our beta got hit by a car and was in the hospital for a month. Then after that when half the chapter was finished, we had midterm, you know the tests from hell. Once again, we are sorry for the wait.

Yours,

GriffynLion

Katebug232

And Now Onto The Story:

Anna's funeral was held at St. Mary's Cemetary in East Congers. People got out of their cars and crossed the walkway into the church. When they walked into it, at the altar was a black casket. Once everyone was the seated Danielle got up out of her seat to do the eulogy. "Anna Southerlyn was my best friend. . . . ."

After the eulogy, they let the people pay their respects. Some put flowers on the casket, while others put pictures and other keepsakes on it. When they were done they told all their respects to the family. Danielle and Serena were standing up, talking to people, but it was obvious to those people who were close to them that they were close to breaking. Finally at the end of the day when everyone was gone and Serena and Danielle were still in the church, they fell into the chairs and started crying. They were crying for their best friend and sister who was ripped from their family before even starting her own.

"Mr. Anders"

" Andrew, please"

" Okay, Andrew, do you know anyone who had a grudge, maybe a reason to hurt her?"

" I honestly don't know," he sighed and moved across the room to sit on her couch, "She was going down to the police station recently. I also know one of her friends were going with her as well. I don't know her name." He stopped and put his face in his hands. " I really liked her, I was going to ask her out on a date for this weekend." He looked back up, distraught, " Catch the person who did this will you?"

" I'll try," Olivia turned to leave, at the last minute she turned, " Do you know what police station she went to? Any siblings, friends?"

" No. I don't know what station. But, i do know some friends, umm Serena, her sister, Hayden Ridley, Danielle Ashner, Jayson Novak, and Casey Novak.

" Thanks. Goodbye." She turned and walked herself out of Andrew Anders office, Anna's business partner. On her way back to the station, Olivia started wondering what police station it was, whether her friends knew about it. She called Elliot and asked for Jayson Novak address. When she hung up Elliot was heading towars Anna's appartment and Olivia to Jayson Novak's.

Olivia knocked on the door to Jayson Novak's apartment 3 times. She knew that someone was there when she heard the rustling, so she leaned against the tan wall across from the door.

"Who is it?" A man's voice came through the door.

" I'm Detective Olivia Benson." The door opened a little bit, enough to see a tall man, Short messy red hair, dark blue eyes, and black glasses. She showed him her badge and he opened the door.

"Are you here to talk about Anna?" He asked while showing her in. He waked her through the hall and she saw pictures. A few caught her eye, one had Casey, Serena, Danielle, and Anna all sleeping on the couch or on the floor with New Years hats strewn on the floor. Another had a frame saying : My 2 Favorite Nieces, Kaitlin and Kimberly. The last one she saw right near the kitchen door was a picture of what she assumed to be his daughter, a baby no less than 2 years old with brown eyes and short red hair, the frame saying : My Lovely Baby Girl. She arrived in the kitchen, which she noticed was full of warm colors and an island in the middle. Jayson came over to her with a glass of water.

"Thank you."

"Your Welcome, so you wanted to talk about Anna. Right?"

"Yeah, Did Anna have any enemies that you know of." She asked after taking a sip of water.

"Not that I knew of, As far as I knew, everyone seemed to love her." He said while leaning his elbow against the island counter.

"Anna was heading to to a police station lately, do you have any idea what that was about?"

"She was?" He voice was full of surprise and stood up straight, "I never knew about it, I don't know why either."

Olivia heard the door open and 3 voices come in through the hallway. One sounded very young, the other a little older and the last was distinctly familiar. " Daddy, Daddy!" A little girl around 3 years old came running out of the hallway and into the kitchen. Olivia noticed that she was the little baby girl from the picture in the hallway.

"Hey sweetie," He gave her a hug, "why don't you go play in your room for a little while." She nodded her head and ran to her room. She turned to watch the girl and saw a very familiar face coming out of the main hallway. "Casey!" Olivia exclaimed, surprised to see Casey there. "Olivia. Asking about Anna?"

"Yeah I am and I believe that I'm finished here now, Thank you for your help Mr. Novak." She set the glass down on the counter and walked herself to the entry to the apartment. On the endtable near the door, she left her card. Before she closed the apartment door she heard a small but clear, "Is she asking about Anna? What did you tell her?"  
After hearing this Olivia shut the door and dicided that she was going to ask Casey about it within the next two days.

Back in the apartment Casey was asking Jayson and Brianna a question, " Hey what are you guys doing tonight?" Jayson shook and Riley walked in " We're not doing anything. Why?" Casey turned to look at the red haired nineteen year old, "Serena and Hayden are going to be at my apartment, do you guys want to come over for dinner?" Brianna came running in and hugged Casey all the while jumping up and down screaming "yeah, yeah," Casey just picked her up and looked at Jayson, who replied, " Sure we'll be there." Casey nodded and picked her bag up off the floor, " See you at 7, Bye Bri" She gave Riley a hug and said goodbye and left.

" Serena," Casey yelled while cooking with Danielle," Go get the door!" Serena sighed and got up off the couch to walk to door, which kept getting banged on. She opened the door and Jayson, Riley and Brianna came in. Although Brianna it seemed ran in and straight to the kitchen, "Auntie Casey!" Serena gave Riley a hug and then kissed Jayson on the cheek. " Glad you guys came, Casey and Danielle are making spaghettios **_(see bottom) _**and Hayden's in the den." After she said this Serena went with Riley into the tv room and started playing videogames. Jayson looked around the small area he was in and decided to talk to Hayden. Jasyon walked down the hallway past the kitchen to the den, looking at the photos on the wall. There were a few that caught his eye, some before the incident, some after. One that really caught his eye was one of everyone except Riley. They were at the beach when they were still in their teens: Casey and Hayden were cuddling together; Casey in a bikini and Hayden in shorts, Serena and Jayson were playing tug-a-war with a volleyball and Danielle was burying Anna in the sand and making a castle on top of her. The next one that caught his was the last picture by the den. It was larger than the others: Casey was in her teens and was sleeping on the couch spread out, Riley was halfway on top of her, Riley looked to be around 4 in the picture. Jayson smiled at the picture and went into the den.

" Hayden," Hayden looked up at the voice at the door, " How've you been?" Jayson walked in and sat down. " I've been good. I'm here branching out the music shop. Staying at Casey's for a while." "That's good," Jayson replied while sitting in the chair near Casey's huge bookcase full of law book, the other side had others, such as mystery, crime, drama and some comedies.

" I heard you have a little girl" Hayden said while looking up from his music sheets. " Yeah, she's three years old. She's turning four next month."

" Who's the mother?" Hayden asked though he did have a idea of who it was. "Marina." Jayson looked a little down when he said this.

" Is she here?" Hayden asked. He didn't know what happened to her. "Marina's dead. She died from complications during the birth of Brianna." " I'm sorry." " It's alright, it's been three years."

" ALRIGHT GUYS DINNER!" Serena screamed from the other room. Hayden and Jayson got up and walked towards kitchen. Hayden asked, "What's for dinner," as he was sitting down, " I'm starving." As he sid this Casey and Serena brought in 2 huge bowl of spaghettios.

We decided to make spagettios do to the fact that I unfortunatley cannot spell spagetti


End file.
